English Chess Forum

Mick Norris wrote:

Roger de Coverly wrote:If there are 10 entrants to the Minor Counties and 6 to the Open, that suggests a little too much leeway is given as to which counties qualify as "Minor".

The only counties that can win the Open are Lancs, Yorks and the Southern counties - much as I would like to see Staffs win it

On current strengths I think only Yorkshire are a team which can be seen as unbeatable by the right "smaller" county that manages to persuade a few stronger players to turn out for them. It's not very long since Somerset missed out on the final by a whisker. But if teams are happy to settle for pursuing the Minor Counties then there will never change. Staffs should be commended for sticking at it. The Midlands counties have a significant advantage of location for the national competition that they've mostly given up on. The MCCU running a competition that splits Minor from Open hardly helps matters because a team that decides they fancy giving the Open a go may be sacrificing Union competition games in the process (although i'm not sure on the specific rules so may be wrong).

Richard Bates wrote:The Midlands counties have a significant advantage of location for the national competition that they've mostly given up on. The MCCU running a competition that splits Minor from Open hardly helps matters because a team that decides they fancy giving the Open a go may be sacrificing Union competition games in the process (although i'm not sure on the specific rules so may be wrong).

No, you play in the same competition but elect whether you are aiming at Open or Minor

Mick Norris wrote:

Richard Bates wrote:The Midlands counties have a significant advantage of location for the national competition that they've mostly given up on. The MCCU running a competition that splits Minor from Open hardly helps matters because a team that decides they fancy giving the Open a go may be sacrificing Union competition games in the process (although i'm not sure on the specific rules so may be wrong).

No, you play in the same competition but elect whether you are aiming at Open or Minor

Why do Staffs not play any matches then?

Richard Bates wrote:

Mick Norris wrote:

Richard Bates wrote:The Midlands counties have a significant advantage of location for the national competition that they've mostly given up on. The MCCU running a competition that splits Minor from Open hardly helps matters because a team that decides they fancy giving the Open a go may be sacrificing Union competition games in the process (although i'm not sure on the specific rules so may be wrong).

No, you play in the same competition but elect whether you are aiming at Open or Minor

Why do Staffs not play any matches then?

The MCCU rules designate separate Open and Minor Counties Championship competitions. A couple of seasons ago although Staffordshire were the only MCCU county competing in the Open event, all the MCCU Counties competed in a competition to determine the Midlands Champions. Unfortunately this was an agreement between the various counties and the rules were never amended. Consequently when I proposed this take place this season, Staffordshire demurred. Hopefully the rules might be amended next season to give a proper competition in the Union irrespective of whether a team wishes to compete in the Open or Minor.

Going back to Lawrence's point. What makes you think Staffordshire will actually raise a team to compete in the semi-final - unless you organise it yourself. Staffordshire were due to play in the MCCU U160 competition in which they'd entered a team but defaulted and then withdrew without playing any matches. Their explanation? They had no captain!

Neil Graham wrote:Going back to Lawrence's point. What makes you think Staffordshire will actually raise a team to compete in the semi-final - unless you organise it yourself. Staffordshire were due to play in the MCCU U160 competition in which they'd entered a team but defaulted and then withdrew without playing any matches. Their explanation? They had no captain!

Wishing thinking probably

LawrenceCooper wrote:

Neil Graham wrote:Going back to Lawrence's point. What makes you think Staffordshire will actually raise a team to compete in the semi-final - unless you organise it yourself. Staffordshire were due to play in the MCCU U160 competition in which they'd entered a team but defaulted and then withdrew without playing any matches. Their explanation? They had no captain!

Wishing thinking probably

Staffordshire should have let the MCCU know that they wish to be nominated to play. If they withdraw from the competition after 31st March they become liable to a fine of £100. The MCCU will also be fined £100 for nominating them. Although the MCCU has to list the Union's nominees, I don't see anywhere in the rules that they have to give details of a captain.

Lawrence Cooper wrote

I notice that the ECF website no longer updates the winners of the county championship

On the contrary, the ECF website does provide an up to date list of County Championship winners, but not at the url you indicated. The very first hyperlink on the County Championships section of the website (accessed via the Competitions button at the top of the page) is to "Historical Winners List" which provides a download of an Excel document providing the information. The direct link is to http://www.englishchess.org.uk/wp-conte ... inners.xls

John Philpott wrote:Lawrence Cooper wrote

I notice that the ECF website no longer updates the winners of the county championship

On the contrary, the ECF website does provide an up to date list of County Championship winners, but not at the url you indicated. The very first hyperlink on the County Championships section of the website (accessed via the Competitions button at the top of the page) is to "Historical Winners List" which provides a download of an Excel document providing the information. The direct link is tohttp://www.englishchess.org.uk/wp-conte ... inners.xls

Many thanks for the info. Andrew Z had already messaged me to say he'd contacted the office to get the website updated and I notice that when I try the link I used this morning that it now links to the Excel spreadsheet that you mention.

I'd only gone to the website because I couldn't remember when Staffs won the county championship despite me being captain at the time

Matt Mackenzie wrote:Sorry to be a pedant, but Spurs already have two league wins

...and similarly England's second World Cup win was no later than 2003.

Mick Norris wrote:Open
Quarter 1 N1 v S3
Quarter 2 N2 v S2
Semi 1 S1 v Winner Q1
Semi 2 M1 (Staffs) v Winner Q2

Semis will then be:
Surrey v winners of (Lancs/Yorks v Kent/Sussex)
Staffs v winners of (Lancs/Yorks v Middlesex)

I see Kent are due to play Sussex on 27 February, anyone any idea when the Lancs v Yorks match will be?

21st of Feb I think I've heard in passing. Not at all definite - I don't get involved in that one
(Only 12 boards and easier to get a full team out. Goodness, I only just scrape into York's top 12!).

MartinCarpenter wrote:21st of Feb I think I've heard in passing. Not at all definite - I don't get involved in that one

Is that just the Open, or is there also an U160 match?

I'm not sure when Cumbria are playing in the U160s, we are playing them in a friendly on 13 February

No idea at all about the U160's I'm afraid. I don't think the two events often get arranged for the same place/weekend though, and they'll be free to use 4NCL weekends which the Open match obviously isn't!

Updated info on:

SCCU website

MartinCarpenter wrote:No idea at all about the U160's I'm afraid. I don't think the two events often get arranged for the same place/weekend though, and they'll be free to use 4NCL weekends which the Open match obviously isn't!

I gather both the Open and U160 matches are being played today

Edit Yorks won both matches